Guide to Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are an island group in the Caribbean Sea, 90 mile south of Cuba. They are a self-governing British Overseas Territory. The stunning coral reefs and outstandingly clear waters have made this island group a popular destination for divers. Great beaches and fine restaurants and resorts make it an excellent tourist destination as well.

• George Town - the capital

• Hell - Small island community that is known for its eerie, red rock formations around back of the store that markets wares playing up its namesake, such as Hell t-shirts, postcards from Hell, etc. All island tours stop here.
• Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman - a public beach which many of the islands hotels and resorts overlook.
• Pedro St. James national historic site in the eastern district of Savannah on Grand Cayman
• Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park off Frank Sound Road on the North Side of Grand Cayman
• Rum Point on the North Side of Grand Cayman
• Boatswain's Beach - Home of the Cayman Turtle Farm on Grand Cayman
• Stingray City in the waters off Grand Cayman. It's a shallow dive that allows visitors to swim and pet hundreds of friendly stingrays, available since the mid 1980s.

History

As far as archaeologists can tell, the Cayman Islands were uninhabited before they were discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503. He named them Las Tortugas after their large number of turtles. By 1530, they were called the Caymanes from the Carib word caimán for the crocodiles that also lived there. Through a variety of spellings, the name evolved into the English term Cayman.

The islands' early economy was focused on hunting turtles to provide turtle meat to ships preparing for the long journey back east across the Atlantic. After local turtles were hunted to extinction, Cayman turtlers began to hunt turtles on other nearby islands. For the first two hundred years, the islands were a lawless frontier society inhabited by pirates, privateers, refugees, shipwrecked sailors, and slaves.

England acquired the Cayman Islands and Jamaica with the signing of the Treaty of Madrid in 1670, and administered the islands as an informal dependency of Jamaica. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the British colonized the Cayman Islands from Jamaica. The colonial government based at Kingston appointed several justices of the peace to supervise Cayman affairs. One of these justices was informally called the governor.

White settlers brought black slaves with them from Jamaica, but slavery became entrenched only on Grand Cayman, which initially resisted emancipation after the British government abolished slavery in 1835. The early settlers were eventually able to develop more harmonious interracial relations, to the extent that about 40% of native Caymanians now identify as mixed-race.

The American Revolution resulted in the loss of the American colonies in 1783, forcing the British government to realize it had to grant more leeway to its remaining colonies to govern their own affairs. In 1831, the Cayman Islands were allowed to elect their own legislative assembly. In 1832, the title of governor was renamed to "custos", after the ancient British office of custos rotulorum. In 1863, the United Kingdom enacted a law formally making the Cayman Islands a dependency of Jamaica. In 1898, Jamaica appointed a commissioner to govern the Cayman Islands.

The end of World War II was followed by the decolonization movement. The United Kingdom recognized it could no longer afford to maintain control over the British Empire, and started preparing for the independence of most of its colonies.

Up to then, the Cayman Islands were reachable only by ship or seaplane, and remained quite isolated from the rest of the world. In 1952, construction began on the islands' first airfield, the Grand Cayman Island Airport, and it opened in April 1953. It was later renamed the Owen Roberts International Airport in honor of the pilot who had proposed its construction and then tragically died in a plane crash on takeoff at Kingston while piloting what was intended to be the first flight to land at the new airport.

In 1958, the United Kingdom enacted a law which formally separated both the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands from Jamaica as Crown colonies in their own right, and authorized the British government to promulgate regulations for both colonies' governance, in anticipation of the imminent organization of a Federation of the West Indies. The next year, the UK promulgated the Cayman Islands' first constitution, which included several innovations such as allowing women to vote for the first time. The islands' highest-ranking official was renamed the administrator. However, the constitution also continued the Cayman Islands' existing connections to Jamaica, in that they were still subject to the control of Jamaica's governor and supreme court.

At the same time, the Federation of the West Indies was formed in 1959, but it was unstable and fell apart in 1962. Jamaica declared independence immediately. In contrast, the Cayman Islands remained loyal to the British crown, but from now on would report directly to London, rather than indirectly through Kingston, and completely severed themselves from Jamaica.

During the 1960s, the Cayman government successfully pivoted the local economy away from its traditional focus on agriculture and towards what would become its main pillars today: tourism and offshore banking.

Before then, for several centuries, massive quantities of mosquitoes had tormented local residents and their livestock, and made the islands unattractive to visitors. In 1965, the government formed a Mosquito Research and Control Unit. The unit's vigorous efforts to reduce mosquitoes to tolerable levels (for example, through the liberal application of pesticides) enabled the development of the islands' modern tourism industry during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

In 1966, the Cayman government enacted a law providing for offshore banks and trusts, followed by a banking secrecy law in 1969 which made the islands into a popular tax haven. The islands have virtually no direct taxation. The government is funded almost entirely through indirect taxation in the form of steep tariffs on nearly all imported goods, including gifts. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. There are no taxes on income, sales, property, inheritances, or gifts (as long as gifts are not physical goods crossing the border), though the government levies stamp duty on land transfers and mortgages, and a variety of fees against companies. As of 2026, the Cayman Islands is home to over 120,000 companies.

In 1972, a new constitution renamed the administrator to the governor. In 1983, the UK renamed its remaining Crown colonies (like Cayman and Turks) to British Dependent Territories. In 2002, they were renamed again to British Overseas Territories, the title still used today. Constitutional amendments in 2003 and 2009 formally recognized a premier and cabinet, similar to the arrangements seen elsewhere in the British Commonwealth.

In 2004, Hurricane Ivan damaged or destroyed 85% of the buildings on the islands. Since then, the islanders have completely rebuilt everything. New developments are subject to very strict building requirements.

In addition to banking, tourism is a mainstay of the economy, aimed at the luxury market and catering mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals most recently peaked in 2018 at 2.38 million, including 438,000 stayover visitors and 1.92 million cruise passengers on day trips.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, other Caribbean destinations like the Turks and Caicos Islands reopened as early as summer 2020 to keep their economies afloat, despite the obvious risk to their own populations. The Cayman government chose to reopen more gradually to protect its people, but by the time all entry restrictions were dropped in August 2022, airlines and cruise lines had already shifted routes elsewhere. This is why total Cayman tourist arrivals reached only 1.5 million in 2025, including 450,000 stayover visitors and 1.06 million cruise passengers, while in contrast, the Turks and Caicos Islands recorded an all-time record of over 2 million tourist arrivals that year (up from 1.46 million in 2018).

Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. The Cayman Islands are one of the richest island territories not only in the Caribbean but in the world. Cayman employers have imported thousands of foreign nationals on work permits to staff the islands' banks, professional services firms, hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and many other kinds of businesses.

The islands' population exploded from about 40,000 in 2000 to over 90,000 in 2026, and it is projected to hit 100,000 by 2027. Expatriates (at 55%) now outnumber native Caymanians (at 45%). This caused the government to enact immigration reform laws in 2022, 2025, and 2026 to make it more difficult for temporary workers to obtain permanent residency. Over 140 nationalities and ethnicities reside in the Cayman Islands, forming a very diverse and prosperous multi-ethnic society.

Climate

The climate is tropical marine, featuring warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April). In 2004 the Cayman Islands, especially Grand Cayman, were hit hard by Hurricane Ivan.

Landscape

The landscape of the three islands consists of a low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs. The highest point in the islands is the Bluff on Cayman Brac, at 43 m (141 ft) tall.

Visitor information

• Cayman Islands Tourism website

Entry requirements

By plane

By boat

George Town on Grand Cayman is a popular port for cruise ships.

By car

Car rentals are readily available. You must be 21 years old to rent a car. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and seatbelt use is mandatory. Historically, it was necessary for visitors to obtain and carry a temporary driver's licence along with their regular licence, but that is no longer the case. A valid driver's licence is now sufficient, along with an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in English. Signs, road markings, and rules of the road are mostly British with a bit of American influence. Driving regulations are codified in the Road Code of 2012.

The Cayman Islands posts speed limits in miles per hour, but the territorial government allows motor vehicles to be imported from countries other than the United States and the United Kingdom. Some rental cars have speedometers marked only in kilometers per hour and omit miles per hour (which violates both US and UK vehicle safety regulations). This is why many newly arrived tourists drive rental cars at 40 km/h, until they realize why all the other vehicles are passing them at 40 mph or 64 km/h. If your rental car falls into this category, you will need to memorize several conversions from miles to kilometers.

Fuel stations provide both diesel and gasoline, often from nozzles on the same pump. Do not mix them up. For example, Enterprise/National/Alamo will make you sign an express promise to not mix them up when they rent you a car. On the islands, green means gasoline and black means diesel, the exact opposite of the colors used by gas stations in the United States.

Most stations provide both full and self service. If you prefer to pump your own gas, Cayman gas pumps will first ask if you wish to pay at the pump or pay inside. If you pay at the pump, you will be required to type in an amount to be preauthorized on your credit or debit card, and then the pump will dispense gas up to that amount. If you select pay inside, you can pump immediately, then go into the on-site store to pay for the gas actually dispensed.

By moped or scooter

Mopeds and scooter rentals are available on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Helmet use is required. Usual daily rate is US$25 for helmet and permit.

By plane

Domestic flights arrive and depart from the airports mentioned under "get in" as well as the following

Cayman Airways is the flag carrier and operates many international and basically all domestic flights.

English is the official language and is spoken by virtually everyone. Native Caymanians have a pleasant and unique accent with many charming turns of phrase. For example, in Cayman rumours are not heard "through the grapevine", instead they're heard "along the marl road". Locals pronounce Cayman as Kay-MAN, and not KAY-min.

The main attraction in Cayman is the water. Snorkeling and diving draw many visitors each year. However, there are several attractions on land worth visiting. Most attractions can be reached by bus, however, a car is significantly more convenient.

Beach access is guaranteed by the Cayman constitution, so walking along the beach is permitted everywhere (all beaches are public), although getting to the beach is only allowed in certain areas.

Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is approximately 5 mile of tourist hotels, with white sand beaches. It is a public beach and visitors can walk the entire stretch, no matter which hotel they are staying at.

On Seven Mile Beach, The Ritz has a walkway over the main road containing local artists' work. Finding it can be challenging, however, the staff are happy to point you in the right direction.

Pedro St. James national historic site is an attractive old house and grounds on the ocean. There is a multimedia show telling the history of the house, and an exhibit center with more Cayman historical displays.

Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a large botanical garden which includes gardens with plants arranged by colour, a large orchid garden, a gazebo on a lake and many Iguanas, including the rare blue iguanas.

The Cayman Turtle Farm is a turtle farm where you can swim and pet turtles. A recent review of the farm indicated concerns for the animals, so this may be something some people want to research before visiting.

Stingray City in the waters off Grand Cayman is reached by several tour companies by boat. In the shallow water many stingrays gather, and you can interact with them. If you book on a sailing vessel, you then get to sail back to port. The stingrays have been gathering here since the mid 1980s when boaters would clean their fish near the port.

Several activities are available for children and adults alike:

• The Cayman Turtle farm is a fun place for children to learn about wildlife preservation
• Be sure to visit the Stingrays at the sandbars in the Cayman Islands. This is a popular tourist destination, and unlike swimming with dolphins in places such as Florida and the Bahamas, these stingrays are willfully living in the wild and can choose to leave at anytime. Several guided tours are available, in addition to packages that include this as well as snorkeling
• Several beautiful reefs are a fantastic place for beginner snorkelers. More experienced venturers can visit the two smaller Islands, which are world renowned for their waters and reefs
• On the East side of the Island lies the Queen's Botanical gardens, a beautiful place to get away from the crowds and beaches
• The Tortuga rum factory shows how rum and rum cakes are made, and also provides opportunities to purchase Tortuga Rum and Rum Cakes
• The Seven Mile Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and most of the beach is public.

Money

The country's currency is the Caymanian dollar, denoted by the symbol "$" or "CI$" (ISO currency code: KYD). It is subdivided into 100 cents. Banknotes are issued in denominations of CI$1-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100, and coins are issued in denominations of 1-, 5-, 10-, and 25 cents.

US dollars are accepted everywhere. Be careful and always know if you're paying in CI$ or US$. The basic conversion is US $1.25 to CI$1 ($1=CI $0.80).

Costs

Almost everything must be imported and is subject to a 20% import tax (sometimes higher depending on the product). Food, drinks, and other items are relatively expensive.

Cayman is too small to draw large container ships. Most containers are transshipped via Miami or Kingston and transferred to smaller ships that specialize in serving smaller ports like Cayman. Since Cayman exports very little goods, the transport cost must also include the cost of removing empty intermodal containers. Local retailers lack the buying power of the giant American retailers and often have to buy from distributors rather than direct from the source.

Shopping

Most shopping is in George Town and Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman.

• Caymanite is the Cayman Islands' own semi-precious stone.
• Black Coral is often used in jewellery here.
• Rum cake from Tortuga Rum Company is very popular with visitors to Grand Cayman.
• There are many tourist shops where you can buy t-shirts, hats, postcards and other souvenirs. Don't buy any seashells though; beachcombing is much more fun, and cheaper too.
• Grand Cayman features duty free shopping, enabling visitors to buy many luxury items duty free, including fine china, jewellery, electronics, and more shopping

The culinary influences of many regions are reflected in Cayman cuisine. Local specialities such as fish, turtle and conch are delicious and often less expensive as they don't need to be imported. With more than 150 restaurants, unwinding with a good meal in the Cayman Islands can include chic five-star dining as well as a more casual venue under the stars, or even a themed event. From traditional Caymanian seafood to Caribbean and Thai to Italian and New World cuisine, discerning diners are sure to find something to fit their taste. Other exciting options include dinner cruises on luxury catamarans and even an authentic tall ship. Meal prices range from $10 to well over $30 per person at high-end restaurants.

While in Cayman ask your taxi driver for their favourite local jerk stand (a must try) and also ask them the tourist spot they suggest.

One factor which increases the price of food is the Cayman Islands' distance from Miami. Some food coming from Central and South America is transshipped through the Port of Kingston in Jamaica, not too far to the southeast. Nearly all food coming from the United States and Canada has to go first to the Port of Miami and then take a three-day journey by container ship from Miami around Cuba to reach George Town. That transit time shortens Cayman supermarkets and restaurants' window to sell or cook perishable foods before they crash into expiration dates.

Alcohol is very expensive on the islands, even from the liquor stores. You can expect to pay approximately twice as much in the liquor stores as you would at stores in the United States, however it is still the cheapest way to purchase alcohol.

Typical drink prices in bars and clubs range from CI$4–7.

Liquor stores typically close at 18:00 or 19:00, all though some are open until 22:00 or 22:00.All liquor stores are closed on Sundays.

Visitors flying into the Cayman Islands are able to bring either 1 bottle of duty free spirits, 4 bottles of wine or champagne, or one 12-pack of beer per person 18 years of age or older. Exceeding this duty allowance will result in substantial taxation to the excess items.

You will of course want to check out some of the local drinking establishments.

Accommodations are ample but tend to be relatively expensive, even on the two smaller islands. There are several luxury resorts with all amenities, as well as other less expensive options. In addition, the cost of food and drink is high in Cayman, but many visitors stay in condominiums with kitchen facilities and take advantage of the first class supermarkets and cook and barbecue on the beach.

Cayman is not known for all inclusive resorts, but there are two smaller Caribbean style properties that do offer this option.

The majority of hotels and resorts are in Grand Cayman, where the main hotel "strip" is Seven Mile Beach, home to several major chain hotels and numerous condominiums.

Off Seven Mile Beach are several dive resorts and, in the Eastern Districts, numerous private homes and villas, as well as several resorts and attractions for those preferring a more tranquil vacation.

Little Cayman focuses on dive vacations and has a unique charm, as well as some of the best diving anywhere.

Camping is illegal on all three islands at all times. There are no campsites on any of the islands.

Grand Cayman has growing offshore banking and tourism sectors. Tourism represents about 60% of the economy's gross domestic product. As noted above, about 55% of residents are expatriates working on "work permits"; unemployment is very low.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes may occur from June to November. The Cayman Islands lie just outside of the main hurricane belt. Most hurricanes pass by at a safe distance, but every few decades, a big hurricane does swerve south and hit the islands head on. If you choose to visit during hurricane season, get good travel insurance with coverage for hurricanes and have alternative plans ready if a hurricane forms right before your scheduled departure.

Cultural sensitivity

Despite being more liberal in some ways than other Caribbean islanders, Caymanians are still rather conservative in other ways. There is still a high percentage of church attendance and most stores stay closed on Sundays.

Public displays of affection (both gay and straight) are not usually acceptable. Acceptance of homosexual tourists is relatively new and visitors should refrain from any sort of public displays of affection. In past years gay cruise ships have been barred from calling in the Cayman Islands, but recent policy is to remain non-discriminatory. Gay visitors can expect the same levels of hospitality and service as any other visitor, but should expect some hesitation from older Caymanians.

Young Caymanians are very liberal and for the most part, won't care either way.

Crime

The Cayman Islands are a relatively low-crime area. Unlike many other Caribbean destinations, the Cayman Islands are rated Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs. Canada and the United Kingdom in their travel advisories also routinely describe the Cayman Islands as having a low crime rate. You will likely see constables of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service on patrol during your visit.

That being said, crime is on the rise on Grand Cayman. Walking or riding a bicycle at night along dark roads (for example, along Courts Road) puts one at risk for assault and/or robbery. Pedestrians also need to worry about being hit by cars along soft shouldered roads. Drunk driving and hit-and-run accidents have been a problem. The police regularly conduct roadblocks to deter and detect drunk driving, making numerous arrests most weekends. Drink driving is a serious offense in Cayman.

The capital city of George Town is generally safe. Tourists should avoid certain areas (Rock Hole, Swamp, Jamaica Town/Windsor Park, Courts Road, and Eastern Avenue) and this shouldn't be a problem as these areas are all well out of the way for most activities. In addition, George Town is virtually deserted at night as there are few centrally located restaurants, bars, or nightclubs.

You need not be too concerned about miscellaneous belongings. While at the beach, no one will be stealing your lunch, towel or sneakers. Cayman thieves are not desperate individuals, and have no interest in normal personal effects or used snorkeling gear. Most likely the thieves are just local teens looking for items that they can sell to other local teens. Example: an average pair of sunglasses will not "grow legs"; but a flashy pair of Chanel knock-offs just might.

Women travelling alone should be especially careful at night, as sexual assaults do occasionally occur. Carry a phone capable of emergency calls to local 911. If you feel you are being followed or inappropriately watched, you should immediately call the police. The police are a very responsive and extremely professional organization. They will take your complaint seriously.

You can enjoy a relaxing and "incident-free" holiday if you take care to be aware of your surroundings and lock doors and windows when possible.

• Many locals won't eat barracuda because it is likely that it is poisonous. Be aware of that. Other reef fish (groupers, amberjack, red snappers, eel, sea bass, and Spanish mackerel) are not likely to cause ciguatera (fish-borne nerve poisoning).
• There are no natural fresh water resources. Drinking water supplies are provided by desalination plants and rainwater catchments.
• The sun is hot and the air is humid. It is sunny all year. Make sure you have sunscreen on if you plan on walking around town, carry water, and be prepared to step indoors or into the shade to rest if you get too hot. If you do not take proper precautions for tropical weather, you may be severely sunburned or sustain heat stroke.
• Most of Cayman's inpatient health care capacity is on Grand Cayman because that is where most potential patients are located. The government's Health Care Authority operates two hospitals: Anthony S. Eden Hospital, a 127-bed hospital on Grand Cayman, and Faith Hospital, a small 18-bed hospital on Cayman Brac which also serves Little Cayman. There are also two private hospitals on Grand Cayman, Doctors Hospital and Health City Cayman Islands. The latter is based in East Bay but also has a branch facility at Camana Bay in West End.

Caymanians are very respectful. Greetings and pleasantries are common and expected, even to shopkeepers when entering their stores. Most islanders use titles of respect, such as Mr and Miss, followed with the given or first name, when addressing other islanders.